Calvin University's official student newspaper since 1907

Calvin University Chimes

Since 1907
Calvin University's official student newspaper since 1907

Calvin University Chimes

Calvin University's official student newspaper since 1907

Calvin University Chimes

Third-annual Calvin’s Got Talent competition will feature 19 acts

Photo+courtesy+Nite+Life
Photo courtesy Nite Life

This weekend, Nite Life will be hosting its final event of the year, Calvin’s Got Talent (CGT). For the third year running, it promises to be an evening of entertainment unlike any other on Calvin’s campus. CGT is this Saturday evening at 8 p.m. in the CFAC auditorium. Tickets for Calvin students can be purchased for $3 at the box office.

This year, Calvin’s Got Talent will feature 19 acts, including bands covering songs like “Counting Stars” and “Say Something,” spoken word poetry, original songs, dances ranging from hip-hop to contemporary to breakdance, a cello duet and a mashup of show tunes.

This variety of acts is something that makes CGT unique from other Calvin performances. “Performers have the freedom to fully display their creativity and artistic abilities in different ways,” explains Nite Life intern Lauren DeGroot. “This year’s line-up is sure to entertain and impress.”

Joshua Ruiter, a performer in the cello duet, agreed that this mixed bag of events is a strength of CGT. “It’s a catch-all,” says Ruiter. “The audience has the opportunity to see different styles of music, dance and poetry, all in one place. Some acts are more serious, while others are funny, but each act brings something new to the show.”

CGT is not only an exciting and different event for the audience, but also a unique experience for the performers. “An event like this gives people that don’t normally perform onstage a chance to show their talent,” said cellist Andrew Plaisier. “It’s an opportunity for performers to have fun, as well as the audience.”

This year, CGT will be changing things up by featuring a new method of picking the winner. Instead of having a judges panel, all three winners will be determined through text-voting. Each act will be assigned a number and audience members will be encouraged to vote for their favorite acts using their phones.

DeGroot explained that “text-voting provides an accurate measure of audience favorites,” and said that the Nite Life team is excited by this chance to increase audience participation. Three prizes will be awarded, with the first place act winning $250, second place winning $100 and third place winning $50.

With 19 entertaining acts, countless hours of planning and rehearsal that have gone into this event and the opportunity for the audience to pick the winner, CGT promises to be just as spectacular as last year’s show. It’s a chance to see some unexpected talents, to laugh, clap, cheer and even choose which act will emerge victorious.

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